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Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

He's not this bad all the time, but this is the type of game he plays: selfish. He has no athleticism or lift, he doesn't play within the team, and frequently does stupid things with the ball. I won't be shedding any tears when he graduates.

Maybe, but like or not, he's got that goofy streakiness to his game, and I think we're decent enough to hide it for the most part. As bizarre as it sounds, we know Watford can have those games where he uses his size advantage perfectly and he can't be stopped. I expect he'll win us a game or two this year with a couple of those games. Yes he'll probably frustrate us a lot of the time, but with Elston's improvement and Zeller's arrival, Crean has the ability to pull the string on his minutes in games where he just doesn't have it, which is what we sort of saw in the second half tonight. Lots of Pritchard, Elston, and even Sheehey at the 4.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

They sure scared me with their deer-in-headlights play in the first half. Silly mistakes, missing bunnies, Stevens' successfully luring Zeller out of the post and away from the rim on defense, etc. The difference between this year's team and the past few years is that this team didn't shrink in the second half. They answered, looked mature, confident. I loved it. So perhaps I spoke too soon about feeling bad about this game. I didn't think we would lower the boom on them like that.

Just call it the Zeller and Hulls effect. Two proven winners who have won at every single level they have ever played at, against the highest level of competition. Let's not forget Hulls captained undefeated Bloomington South team through 4A in Indiana whcih is pretty ridiculous. I saw those B-South teams play and they were never the most talented teams in 4A, but the backcourt of Hulls and Dee Davis (now a freshman at Xavier) was a delight to watch.

When Hulls and Zeller saw Butler lifting on effort at around the 10 minute mark even thought it was just for a second, their games changed immediately, they smelled the chance to land a knockout punch and they did it. When you combine that with the motors that Oladipo and Sheehey are playing with, it makes for a very tough combination for a team like Butler to match.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

Also, 75 points against Butler, regardless of how you get there, is nothing to sneeze at. The rotate as well as any team in the country. IMO, this years Butler team has the talent of a Gardner Webb or something similar. Hopkins is a good player, but there isn't a whole lot of raw talent on there other than that. I mean Stigall is one of their leading scorers and the guy just doesn't have anything in his arsenal other than catch and shoot. I mean heck, for all the impressive stuff Hopkins did tonight, he was still incredibly reckless with the ball, 7 turnovers.

Stevens tonight once again showed me why he is such a good coach. Don't get me wrong I thought Crean stood his ground and made the right adjustments, but Butler's defensive rotations are really phenomenal.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

One more thought, for those of you who are expecting Yogi to come in and just flat out remove Jordan Hulls from the ball handling equation and make him just a shooter, I wouldn't count on it. 38 minutes tonight from Jordy, and I think Crean absolutely loves the kid, to him he is Diener 2.0 and Crean LOVED Diener.

Not saying they cna't play together, but I am saying that I think Hulls will be handling the ball just much as Yogi when they are both on the court.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

One more thought, for those of you who are expecting Yogi to come in and just flat out remove Jordan Hulls from the ball handling equation and make him just a shooter, I wouldn't count on it. 38 minutes tonight from Jordy, and I think Crean absolutely loves the kid, to him he is Diener 2.0 and Crean LOVED Diener.

Not saying they cna't play together, but I am saying that I think Hulls will be handling the ball just much as Yogi when they are both on the court.

I don't think Hulls will be removed from handling the ball as long as he is on this team. They will share the load next year (much as VJIII and Hulls have in the past), but I suspect by the end of the season Yogi will be the primary ball handler.

In some corners, Hulls catches a lot of crap from fans, and I just don't see it. I love that kid.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

I'm going with door number two. I think Watford (and Jones III to some extent) needs a lesson in humility. I don't think you can continue rewarding a 6-8, 6-9 guy who plays like a bad 6-0 guard with starts. Think it has to be clear that he'll earn playing time based on his effort, boarding, ability to support the real go-to guys on the team, and if that message can get through, bring him back into the starting lineup and hopefully reap all the rewards from it.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

If it ain't broke you don't fix it. Right now the rotation works. Why are we trying to fix something that has so far produced 6 straight wins of at least 16 points?

You start Watford and you use Elston, Sheehey, and Pritchard to play the minutes yo-yo with him. VJIII and Watford got by far the least minutes of the starters against Butler. The message is being sent.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

Really enjoyed the game. It might have been 20pts, but you wouldn't have known that if the score wasn't on the screen. I thought both teams played extremely hard, and this game will be one of those you look back and see the growth of the young ones.

Zeller was impressive, not for his game, but his mental approach. Marshall got a couple blocks on him, but he didn't shy away or seem to doubt himself. He gathered himself and waited for his chance, and when he got it, threw it down hard. I don't think I noticed him saying a word the entire game, but he let Marshall know by staring at him after that dunk. Nice to see some early composure.

I think this will help Butler more than IU though. This was really the first taste of big time college hoops for a lot of their guys. Yeah, they were on the FF teams, and Hopkins played a pretty big/small role in the tourney for the one game, but battling Savannah St. is a little different than battling IU.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

So many fans on one of Butler's main boards complaining that we ran up the score last night...really? Cry me a freakin' river.

I saw that, too. I have a lot of good friends who have graduated from Butler or are finishing up longer programs, and I sense a general state of entitlement amongst that fanbase. I realize I just described every fanbase, but particularly Butler's in this case. Just that their system is perfect, their players are perfect, their coach is perfect, and if they lose, it's on the refs or something entirely outside of their program.

I never talk trash about IU bball, been too humbled by my years there, but when talking about the game afterward, I couldn't get any of my Butler friends to acknowledge anything good IU did. It was all "the refs didn't call anything" or "Butler turned it over way too much" or "Butler just couldn't hit anything". You get the idea.

I think Butler fans have become spoiled, and now they're coming back down to earth a bit (they'll still make the tourney, rebound over second half of season) with their top talent gone.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

Butler fans have become delusional. I read their board. Some of their fans said some really terrible things. Apparently, they hate IU.

Let me make one thing clear Butler fans: The past two seasons are the exception, not the rule. Don't get used to **** like that happening, because you'd be lucky to ever make another Final Four. Enjoy your time as the darlings of the state, because it's over.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

The ticket prices for the UK game on stubhub, et. al. are already ridiculously high...Jeez.

I made the decision today that if we beat NC State (I assume we will beat Stetson) and enter the UK game undefeated, I will pony up and drive my *** from Cleveland to go to that game. I just want to see what the Hall is like. I won't ask Butler fans about it though, because apparently it is the biggest shithole arena around.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

Who is Will Sheehey? Every time I check the box score, I see he's put up big numbers in limited playing time. Right now, he's at 13.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.7 apg in 20 minutes a night, which extrapolates to a studly 24/5/3, per-36.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

Who is Will Sheehey? Every time I check the box score, I see he's put up big numbers in limited playing time. Right now, he's at 13.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.7 apg in 20 minutes a night, which extrapolates to a studly 24/5/3, per-36.

Is he the real deal or just an early season flash-in-the-pan?

He's the real deal. Built on his game all summer, has obviously learned a few moves from Calbert Cheaney (that fake the three, step in and knock down the long two is a patented Calbert move), has a year of experience. The kid has crazy bounce and a vastly improved jump shot. This kid is a player.

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

I just want to see what the Hall is like. I won't ask Butler fans about it though, because apparently it is the biggest shithole arena around.

Assembly Hall will not be copied any time in the future, that's for sure. It might not be a shithole but it's far from what you'd expect as the arena of a storied program.

You know... If IU hadn't been thru so much turmoil with the Knight dismissal, the Davis mistake, the Sampson debacle.... and then the NCAA sanction years and resulting fallout I wouldn't be surprised if Assembly Hall would have been replaced by now. Conseco Fieldhouse it is not.

Nuntius was right. I was wrong. Frank Vogel has retained his job.

------

"A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, that’s teamwork."

Re: Indiana University Athletics Thread 2011-2012

It's been greenlit for a couple years (since 2007 I think). They did it back when they first greenlit Cook Hall and the football stadium upgrades. They are in the "research" phase and have been since then. I don't know if I could still dig up the IU articles for it, but it is also on Assembly Hall's wikipedia page. They are studying places like Louisville's Yum! Center and Wisconsin's Kohl Center.

On June 22, 2007, Indiana University trustees approved the demolition of Assembly Hall and the construction of a new basketball arena "when appropriate." Populous was hired to assess the benefits of renovating or replacing Assembly Hall. The trustees decided against renovating the stadium for $115 million because construction of a new arena would cost $130 Million. Construction of the arena has not begun because funding has not been secured. Sources within the IU Athletic Department have said that Louisville's KFC Yum! Center, Maryland's Comcast Center, Wisconsin's Kohl Center and Michigan State's Breslin Student Events Center are being studied as possible blueprints for the Hoosiers' new arena.

EDIT:

Here's an article from WTHR just in case you don't believe me , not everything I say is straight outta my rear

I thought most people heard about this when it happened Assembly Hall is going to be 40 years old next season I think, so it makes some sense for it to maybe be the last year for it, plus I know there have been very serious discussions within the past year about making sure the site is kept available.